Okay, so we all knew that one weird kid in school. Whether they barked at people in the hallway or simply didn’t have any friends, they were branded as outcasts. But, where are they now? Did things finally turn around for them or are they stuck in a rut? These people share what happened when they saw the “weird kid” again.
#1 Fungi Over Studying
My friend’s dad told him about a weird classmate he had. Nobody really took him seriously. When they were in their last grades, that kid decided that right after school he’d grow fungi instead of studying. Everyone laughed at him. Well, guess what? Right now he owns what is probably the largest organic farm business both in the country and most likely in the whole region.
#2 Jail Time
We had a kid who would do weird stuff in front of other kids for attention. For example, he’d climb into bins, eat old food out of the bins, let people throw yogurt over him, dive into bushes, that sort of thing. Otherwise, he seemed mostly harmless. However, he ended up in prison for pouring a kettle of water over a guy and a girl who he fancied.
They were at a house party and he saw her talking to a guy. So, he went to the kitchen, readied the kettle, then calmly walked up to them and poured it over their heads. I’m not sure he had ever even spoken to her, but he was seemingly jealous that she was talking to another guy. Then, after he was released from prison, he took his mother's car on a joyride with two of his mates. He crashed into a car driven by an elderly couple, then ran off, leaving his two mates and the elderly couple badly injured. I think he’s still in prison for that.
#3 Donating Pennies
I wouldn't say I ran into him, but I occasionally drive past the penny kid walking around slumped in a leather jacket and greasy hair on a hot summer day. I really have no idea what he's doing with his life, but he still seems pretty weird. Back in high school, he was always collecting change that he'd find on the ground. I found out later he actually saved up 500 dollars or so and donated it to charity. I thought a lot differently about him once I found out.
#4 TED Talk
I didn’t “run into” that one weird kid, but I randomly saw a TED Talk he gave on YouTube. He’s a physicist now and has been lobbying the government to increase funding for science education in order to ensure future generations can continue the fight against climate change. He’s a way better person than I became.
Piqsels
#5 Fake Reactions
One “weird kid” passed away in a car accident senior year. Everyone then pretended they were his best friend and that they were so sad, etc. But, these people basically tortured this kid; their reactions were disgustingly fake. I never realized how many phony monsters I knew until that happened. Luckily, I never had to see those people again soon after.
#6 Doing Better
When I saw that “weird kid” from school again, she was actually doing really well. I almost didn't recognize her because she looked so much different. She'd joined the military, so was cleaned up, in better shape, etc. She also seemed like she was happy. Sadly, though, she did pass away in a car accident a year or so later.
#7 Angels and Demons
A girl in high school used to really keep to herself. She was super into anime and we just assumed she was shy. So, I'd make a point to have small chats with her every day until one day she said her pillow wasn't pleasing her right (apparently her pillow had a conscience and everything). We graduated a few months later.
Fast forward to about three months ago. I was making coffee at a cafe when said girl walked up to me. She was super polite and bubbly, but when I asked how her day was going, things took a total turn. She told me the demon that attacked her was actually her guardian angel and she needed him around or something. I haven't seen her since.
#8 School Bully
I ran into the kid who was effectively the school bully. He wasn't a physical bully, but made fun of everyone and was just mean in general. I saw him at the bank one day and I didn't even recognize him. He walked up to me, holding his daughter and gave me a classic-white-guy, "Well! How the heck are ya!"
This is going sound crazy but he legit became the nicest guy in the world. He was extremely well adjusted, had a great family and a great career. He invited me to go out to the driving range the following Sunday and for whatever reason, I was inclined to go. We wound up hitting golf balls for most of the day and had a heart-to-heart.
As it turns out, he was treated terribly his entire life and his father punished him by forcing him to stay awake all night. He was petrified to go home, so he just did whatever he could in school to get detention. Obviously, this explains a lot now. Never judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes
#9 Eighth Grade
There was a weird kid in my middle school who would eat hand sanitizer, write "666" on the classroom walls, and other creepy things. Apparently, he had a crush on me and asked me to the eighth-grade prom, but I declined. Fast forward to the last day of middle school. I received a message from him on Facebook saying he had a huge crush on me, and that he would hurt himself if I didn't feel the same. I told him that despite what he had just sent me, I wasn't interested.
A few months later, we started high school. But, since there were four high schools in my area, a lot of us were scattered around and we ended up going to different schools. I never saw him again, but through Facebook I saw that he started a relationship with a girl that also attended our middle school. He looked really happy, and honestly I was happy for him. He seemed to have grown out of that weird middle school stage and genuinely seemed like a great guy.
Around two years later, I went to a local supermarket and just minded my business. The next day, I received a message from him on Facebook saying he was working at the supermarket and happened to see me. I messaged him back and apologized for not seeing him. He then proceeded to apologize for all the weird middle school stuff.
Even better, he also apologized for that message he had sent me on the last day of eighth grade. I told him all was fine and we left it at that. Now, by the looks of Facebook, he's a workout fanatic and his body has changed a lot. He also seems to be going to college and spends a lot of time with his family. I'm glad he's doing fine.
#10 Through the Years
In elementary school, there was a weird girl with an antichrist vibe (I had a crush on her). She never talked and punched other people, but no one messed with her because somehow, we knew something was wrong with her. I found her Instagram years ago and saw she was a very good makeup artist, working for television and weddings. She really knows her stuff.
In middle school, there was this guy who never talked. I remember that he was also always, like, smiling to himself. Well, I found out that the kid literally disappeared a few years ago. His entire family has been looking for him all these years, but he hasn’t been found to this day. Maybe he had some issues.
In high school, this awkward punk dude in my class went off the grid for about 10 years. I found him last year through a common friend. Turns out, he’s gay and thought no one would accept him, so he cut ties. After that, he was unfortunately in a really bad relationship and his boyfriend didn't let him talk to anyone.
#11 Befriending Someone New
There was this kid in junior high who was really quiet and had no friends at the time. One day, my English teacher pulled me out of the classroom and asked me to befriend him because he didn't have friends. So, I did and we became friends. We went to different high schools, though, so kind of lost connection. But, he would text me every now and then. He found me on Facebook when he was working on his engineering degree. He’s now married and works for SpaceX as an engineer.
#12 Bank Robber
There was this very weird kid who was known for doing disgusting things in class in eighth grade. He ended up dropping out of school. Last year, I saw on the news that he robbed a bank. He slid a note that read, “I’m armed, give me all of your money” and the bank teller handed him a ton of $1 and $5 bills to stall while police showed up. He left before police arrived, but they found him shortly after, because he left his entire handprint on the glass door when he pushed it open on his way out.
Air Force Office of Special Investigations
#13 Making Things Up Again
I saw this one girl at a con I was working at. She came up to my guest and was telling him about her book that she hadn't started writing, but was due the next day. She said that she still had 10,000 words left to write. She also kept looking at her phone and dramatically sighing, saying things about how she wished her publisher would leave her alone. So, she was still making up things to try and make herself look better.
#14 Turning Things Around
I was the weird kid. My mom was never really around and I didn’t have a father figure. We lived in a half-renovated house with animal stool through it because my mom kept her dogs indoors 24/7. We were also extremely broke, like my mom would go hungry to feed my sister and I. My mother, on reflection, was mentally unwell due to the depression of losing her mom two years prior. She still hasn’t recovered to this day.
I realized years later that my clothes probably smelt bad all the time. I had very few friends in high school. I ended up getting into bad things at 13 to escape from my poor life. Plus, I had no boundaries or restrictions from any parental figures. I also lived on my PlayStation and Gameboy due to not having any friends to actually spend time with, making me socially inept.
Both my sister and I were eventually uplifted by welfare services. I ended up in a boys’ home for three years, where I finally got the boundaries and basic care I needed. I had a great social worker who worked hard to set me up with a positive future, despite my circumstances. I slowly gained social skills and realized I could have a normal life. After leaving school, I realized I had a strong work ethic. That led me to work up to holding management positions in basically every business I’ve worked in since my early 20s. It also got me through university doing a Bachelor of social work.
Now, I’m a social worker supporting young adults to change the direction of their lives and to have a life they can be proud of. I’ve just been promoted to manage the service I work for and to grow the service so it can be extended to other districts. I guess I’ve done alright for myself when I look at where I came from.
#15 Flaming Shirts
I don't think he was the weird kid, but this one student was certainly a little off. He pioneered flaming shirts before the first settlers had even arrived at what would eventually become Flavortown. I looked the guy up a few years ago and he was arrested for having inappropriate photos. So, I guess that’s that.
#16 After High School
That one kid in my school, unfortunately, ended his life before it ever got to “years later.” Just a few years after high school, he did it. After discovering that happened, I was glad he and I had been friendly and I had never been unkind to him. His family situation was horrendous and he couldn’t escape the damage.
#17 The Twins
They were twins, the eldest of the two is in prison for assault, armed robbery and grand theft auto. The younger is the police officer who arrested him. The weird thing is that in high school they were the complete opposite of what they are now. I met the younger last year after seven years of not seeing them.
#18 Breaking Out
There was a very nice, but shy girl who immigrated from China and loved computers. However, she was incredibly meek — a conversation was like prying teeth. She would only make strange noises in class, etc. Frankly, in hindsight, what little she said at the time makes me realize now that she was in a damaging household.
For example, she had a small role in a school play in middle school. I was happy for her when I saw that her mom came, as she said she doubted her mom would come. Afterward, the girl told me that her mom said she looked like a sack of dog bones on the stage during her part. I legit did not know what to say when she said stuff like that because I was a kid myself.
Fortunately, I can say I know how she turned out and it’s a happy ending! We went to the same college and she was originally signed up for pre-med because her mom insisted she had to be a doctor. Within a year, though, she rebelled against everything and became a computer science major. She became a known source of advice for other kids of Asian descent, in particular, seeking to stand up to their parents’ expectations.
She’s doing really well. She’s now a test engineer working for a household name computing company. She also posts really cool pictures of international travel and her various geeky hobbies. So, I guess she was great once she could find herself. In the end, it seemed like most of the weirdness was imposed upon her.
#19 Judging You
My dad told me about a kid he went to high school with who used to sit in the back of the class mumbling and giggling to himself all the time. Occasionally, he'd pick his nose and eat the results. Despite this, my dad said, he was apparently really smart and got all As. He told me the guy's name, and since it was pretty distinctive, I looked him up online. He was a federal appeals court judge.
#20 Happy as Clams
There was a girl at my school who I will call Melanie. Melanie was easily the most socially awkward girl I’d ever met. By the end of high school, she had figured out how to not do these insane things that made people stare and laugh at her. But, needless to say, she had a rough go. However, she was also one of those people who was a really nice, genuine person.
I moved away after college and didn't have Facebook until at least 10 years after graduation. So, I had no idea what most of my classmates were doing. Maybe five years ago, I spotted her and friended her. She ended up marrying this guy who went to our school and was maybe three years older than us. I knew him from work and he asked me out at one point. He was also really nice, but super nerdy and socially awkward. I didn't think about it at the time, but when I saw she married him, I was like, "Oh my God, they're perfect for each other!"
They moved to a state that has a bunch of mountains. They don't have any children, so they're always posting all these amazing hiking and rock climbing adventures they do together. They go to all kinds of festivals together as well. They look super happy. I talked to her grandma last year, who told me they're happy as clams.
#21 Cartoon Superman
I have a few too many stories with this kid in high school. He was a kleptomaniac, had illegal exotic and dangerous pets, obsession with weapons, and had no regard for normal social standards and cues. Despite him being an innately skilled entrepreneur, he was a general menace to society.
I went off to college and later learned his home was raided by ATF. His father had been manufacturing items for the Latin Kings and they charged him for things found in the home. Last I heard of him, after he got out of prison, he was on a flyer for a community board advertising basic around the house labor. His head was superimposed on a cartoon Superman.
#22 I’m a Cat
I met the weird kid at a bus stop. I only managed to say, "Hey, how are you? What are you doing nowadays?" He responded, "I'm a cat!" before meowing and running across the road, where he almost got hit by a car in the process. I didn't see him come back to take a bus. I suppose he turned into a furry or something?
#23 Batman and Sharks
He is so much happier than he was in high school where people would assault, harass and mock him. He has autism and is obsessed with Batman and sharks. The last time I saw him was two years ago. I was walking around my friend’s college and he was delighted to see me. He even remembered my name and we caught up. He told me all about how he had been on vacation and got to go out on a boat and see sharks.
#24 Odd Kid
My best friend from high school sent me a news article a couple of months ago. Apparently, this kid we went to school with, who was always very odd, got busted for trying to take photos of underaged girls. I don't remember what was particularly weird about him, just that he never seemed to fit in anywhere. I hope it wasn't that stunted development in high school that led to all this.
#25 Let Him Be
I saw a guy who ran with the “weird crowd” at my school. They were the anime type crowd, but I always respected them for doing what they enjoyed. He approached me at the local gym and was a very polite, respectful guy, as always. I found out he was working and playing in two bands. I’m glad he came up to me. I’m extremely glad he’s doing what he loves to do. Let people do what they do, as they’ll probably let you do what you love to as well.
#26 Graffiti Master
We had a weird kid who would talk to no one and spent all day drawing graffiti in a sketchbook, which he guarded with his life. He wasn’t good at graffiti, he just kept drawing his tag in different fonts. If he spoke, it was usually just to tell people how great he thought Banksy was. Well, he ended up spraying this tag all over our small and otherwise graffiti-free English town.
He was immediately arrested after his old teachers recognized it. I think the sketchbook was used as evidence. He was then arrested a second time for spraying his tag on the side of the courthouse in front of half a dozen CCTV cameras. I bumped into him a year or so back and he now works for a charity, which runs a kids club in the next town over. He teaches kids how to skate and BMX as well as running street art classes where they legally decorate the skatepark with graffiti.
#27 We’ve Been That Kid
I ran into a few “weird” kids from school in my life. Last time I saw one, he was running across campus although he wasn't late for class (he did this in high school all the time). I caught his attention and we walked and chatted since he was my friend in high school. He's doing great and I never had any issues with him.
There was also a weird hugging girl, who I saw about a month ago. She's a teacher now and living what could only be described as the "American Dream." I could tell right away that her favorite teacher back in school was also mine. It’s obvious because she operates just like him. She's on a successful path.
There’s also another kid who springs to mind. His parents adopted him for the tax break, but he’s happily married with children. He found love and despite everything going against him and is now successful. A word to all high school students: just because they're "that kid" doesn’t mean they aren’t human. Be humble. We've all been "that kid."
#28 Certified Smoke Show
I was happy to find out about a girl I went to middle school with. She had speech issues and wasn’t exactly attractive. But, she got surgery to clip her tongue and wound up "developing" into a certified smoke show. I ran into her once at a bar in college and, to this day, still can't believe the transformation.
#29 Tom Cruise
Back when my father was in high school, he had several classes with the weird kid. He always kept to himself and had trouble making friends because he wasn't engaging in conversations like most people would. Not that he wouldn't socialize, but rather, he only socialized when necessary. To him, it was a means to an end. That kid was Tom Cruise. I did verify and they indeed went to the same high school and were in the same year.
#30 Always Drawing
A guy I knew from school and church was the weird kid in school. He was relentlessly bullied by everyone. I ran into his father a couple of years ago (this was about 20+ years later) and asked about him. Apparently, he’s now a Disney animator and doing rather well. Come to think of it, that kid was always drawing.
#31 Mad and Strong
This one kid was weird, but always mad and very strong. Well, my dad sent me a newspaper clipping some years ago. This kid was now around 40 and at a Country and Western nightclub. Three men in their 20s jumped him in the parking lot. He then went inside and told the bar owner that he'd been jumped in his parking lot. He then told him to call the police and to make sure an ambulance was called because the guys were hurt pretty badly.
#32 Coolest Guy There
He was a ginger nerd, big time. A real poindexter. His glasses were taped together and his pants were too short. You know the kind of person I'm talking about. At the 15th class reunion, he was the most interesting guy there. He also looked a lot cooler. The football players, on the other hand, were balding and considerably heavier, and most did too much partying.
#33 Three Jobs
I dated the "weird kid" in middle school, but he moved away and we lost contact. We reconnected when I was in college and I saw that he'd dropped out of high school and was kind of lost in life. He'd gotten two girls pregnant and was working three jobs to pay child support. He flirted heavily with me when we talked and I decided it wasn't worth the baggage. So, I politely stepped out of his life. Last I heard, he joined an alt-right faction in Oklahoma.
#34 Couldn’t Be Happier
I went to school in the late ‘90s. This one girl always seemed “off” and socially awkward. On top of all this, add the fact that she was a minority in a mostly white school in Indiana. So, as you can imagine, this poor girl was basically a complete outcast. She didn’t really have any friends or fit in anywhere.
However, I ran into her at a bar a few years ago. It turns out she was diagnosed with autism. It completely makes sense now, but in ‘90s Indiana, there was no talk of autism or related disorders, you just got labeled “weird” and that was that. Now, she’s running marathons, is a spokesperson for autism speaks, and attending graduate school. I couldn’t be happier for her!
#35 Losing Friends
I had a friend in university who would continually make things up. We learnt to take everything with a grain of salt, but eventually, he lost everyone because these small lies upset everyone. It got to a point where we thought, “Why even lie about that? None of us care.” Last I heard, 10 years later, he was still acting like a 20-year-old in college and claiming that his new job would open loads of doors for him.
#36 Wide Spread Panic
Last I saw on Facebook, he was following Wide Spread Panic around and enjoying his life on the road. He seemed to know a buttload of people who always volunteered to let him stay with them in any town he went to. They were genuinely excited when he’d comment that he’d come stay with them. So, he’s apparently doing awesome, which I also think is awesome.
#37 Class Clown
I avoided being the weird kid by being the class clown. I got through school being liked by most everyone. Currently, I'm 21 and have no friends outside of work. I also have severe issues with depression, depersonalization, and loneliness. I'm waiting for my passion and excitement for life to come back while doing therapy and trying to find a medication that works.
#38 Parental Guidance
When I ran into the weird kid years later, I saw that he was the same, just taller. I saw him with his family at my work and finally realized that he’s the way he is because of his parents. His mom took ten minutes to decide what to order because she kept asking for oddly specific things that we didn't sell. When she finally paid, she didn't know how to use a credit card.
#39 Wii U
I was nice to a kid who got bullied in middle school. I gave him my 3DS when I got a new one because he couldn’t afford one. He then stole his dad’s credit card and bought games without his knowledge and got his 3DS blacklisted for fraud. He texts me occasionally and there was a period of time a few years ago where he begged me to give him some sort of gaming console.
Well, a few months ago he contacted me only to say that he suffered from anger problems. Evidently, there was a Wii U game available that would help him with his anger issues. He wanted me to give him mine. However, he doesn’t know that I sold all my gaming equipment besides my laptop about three years ago now.
#40 Too Forward
The last time I interacted with him was about five years ago. Before this, I hadn’t seen or spoken to him in maybe three years. I ran into him at a bar and he said hi to me. So, being polite, I said hello back. That was it. Ten minutes later, he walked up to me and without saying a word, pinned me to the wall and tried to kiss me. I freaked out and got him kicked out.
Last I heard, he was fired from his last two jobs for harassment. The first, he was a pizza delivery guy in our high school town and would use the addresses and names he got to stalk women. The second time was actually where I worked as well. We were on opposite shifts (thank the stars) and he didn't make it five months before HR got enough complaints to fire him. He still sends me the occasional friend request when he makes a new Facebook. I block it every time.
#41 Running in the Halls
In middle school, he was the "kid who ran to every class.” Although, it wasn't Naruto style. It was just a long sort of sprint. In high school, he grew out of his little habit, but he was still very quiet. As I think about him now, I wouldn't have been surprised if he turned out to be some kind of criminal.
#42 Rising Above
Most of the “weird” kids I went to school with are very tech-savvy now. I was never rude or abusive to them, unlike the other kids. They respected me and always greeted me. A few of them are software engineers or developers. So needless to say, the weird kids are doing 100x better than the low life’s still partying and living paycheck to paycheck.
#43 One Good, One Bad
I recently ran into two of those people. One was just this awkward guy who I thought would have a career playing gigs in the city for the rest of his life waiting for his “break.” He was good with the guitar, but not much else. He’s now an anchor for a news channel. Good for him since he actually likes it and it helped his social anxiety. He still plays guitar but isn’t pursuing that as a career choice anymore.
The second one was weird because he never really seemed to get old. He roamed the same streets for years through school, though no one knew why. Not once did I see him do anything worth respect or dignity. I actually ran into him in the same street you’d have found him 15 years ago. It was honestly such a shame.
#44 Facebook Comments
He now rocks a skullet and gained at least 50 kg. He’s also now "that guy" who posts the stupidest school of hard knocks-tier things on news pages and Facebook comment sections. It’s actually pretty heinous and sort of speaks to his character. He’s only 22 and already so far gone. I don't think he could be pulled out.
#45 Dragons and Spaceships
I was the weird kid. I drew dragons, spaceships, mecha robots and created this whole universe of characters that I'm still writing a book about. It's probably too dumb to ever make anything of, however. I still draw dragons and spaceships and mecha robots. So, maybe I'm still weird. Just with a master's in philosophy and military history.
#46 WoW Bond
He's a friend of mine. We bonded over World of Warcraft and other geeky hobbies. But 10 years later, he hasn't changed much, to be honest. He has gained a lot of weight, is somewhat delusional, and says very random inside jokes that only he understands. He's also gay, but we knew that forever. Sometimes I wonder if he falls on the spectrum. I hope he gets it together.
#47 Hiding His Skills
He became my friend later in life and was actually just hiding his social skills in school somehow. He had a lot of friends outside of school. He was doing in his free time what people my age now wish they had done as kids. Honestly, he was just way ahead of his peers, so he was "weird" and ostracized as a result.
It didn't seem to faze him, though, since he was living the high life. School was just a responsibility to take care of so he could do the stuff he wanted. He’s one of the most solid dudes I know. I wish I had just talked to him at school years before. If anyone is in school at the moment, talk to the weird kids.
#48 Bark Back
The weird “goth” girl everyone either made fun of or feared because she would hiss and bark at people is now a DJ. She hits the club scene two towns over from me. She barked at me once when we were in high school and, me being me, I barked back at her. It was the only time I had ever seen her smile in school.
So, it was cool realizing the DJ I was listening to at the club was my high school classmate. It was even better knowing she overcame hard times with fitting in. She’s now the person everyone wants to hang out with. All the girls that used to pick on her now flood her social profiles with support and admiration. I’m so glad things turned around for her.
#49 Growing Into Myself
I was a weird kid. The way I would put it is if I were born 10-15 years later, I probably would have been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. I was smart, emotionally precocious, but I had a lot of strange coordination and motor control issues. For me, "playing" looked like collecting or sorting piles of things from the backyard or lining up my toys in height order. I never had many friends, dressed like a dork, and had trouble fitting in. I was awkward, teased, and bullied into late middle school.
I grew out of it somehow. I don't really remember there being any process. I like to think that I "grew into" myself. I've got good social skills, I'm relatively attractive, and people like me. Still have some weird idiosyncrasies, but I'm "cool" enough to own them nowadays. My childhood and adolescence still influence a lot of my fears, but overall I'm glad to be who I am now, and growing up was important for that to happen.
#50 New Life
I dated him when he was a junior in high school and I was a freshman. He was a very genuine guy who grew up in a pretty terrible household. He always gave off mildly creepy vibes, like a kid who honestly didn't have a whole lot of social interaction and didn't know any better. He turned out well enough, though. We got married last year, and it feels like there's a little new life in him every day.
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